As activities marking the on-going 11th Federation of Africa University Games( FASU ) tagged “Lagos Nigeria 2024” continues at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), President of FASU, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, urged all the athletes to compete clean in the spirit of sportsmanship.
Sobhy made while delivering his speech during the colourful opening ceremony at UNILAG Sports Complex on Saturday 21 September 2024.
He praised UNILAG for putting up good sporting facilities for the Games and urged other African Universities to borrow a leaf from what UNILAG.
In her welcome address, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Folashade Ogunsola, said she is delighted and honoured that at last, the 11th FASU Games tagged “Lagos Nigeria 2024″ is finally here.
She revealed that this is the opportunity given to Nigeria to host the Games after exactly twenty years that it was hosted by the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University ( ABTU) Bauchi in 2004.
Professor Ogunsola described FASU 2024 as a historic event due to the fact that this is the first time ever that the Games is being co-hosted by two Universities in the history of the Games since it’s inception in 1974.
She also described as unique because, it is being hosted two years after UNILAG single handedly hosted the 26th Nigerian University Games NUGA where over 5,000 athletes and officials from 75 Nigerian Universities were on the Campos. Nothing that It was indeed remarkable.
Meanwhile, Dr. Joseph Ola Awoyinfa, Secretary of the organising Committee and UNILAG Director of Sports, said what UNILAG has done was to showcase her sporting capabilities to Africa and the world.
” Those who are familiar with sports know that UNILAG has that record of hosting big sporting events having hosted the Nigeria University Games (NUGA) more than once and still counting while several organizations and schools continue to make use of our facilities for their Games”, Dr. Awoyinfa stated.
In some of the event so far decided yesterday, Mustapha Kemi from the University of Ilorin, won the gold medal in the women Discuss event when she threw 39.40m while the Silver medal went to Belinda Owusu from the University of Cape Coast, with a throw of 37.08.
Rukaua Sumaila, University of Ghana claimed the bronze medal with a throw of 33. 55m.
In men Shot Put, Baatah Dresmani, (UniCapeCoast Ghana 11. 64, won gold, Olaboya H. Alaba (Unilorin) 11.61m, Silver and Ramon Olatubosum (LASU) 10.77m bronze.
Njoku Emmanuel of Benson Idahosa University won the men’s long jump with a leap of 7. 5m, Joseph Desardin Prosper( UniMauritania) 7.35 Silver and Asare Daniel, (Uni Ghana) 7. 34 bronze.
The Tennis event started yesterday and will continue later today, same with Karate.
More action will be witnessed in swimming and other sports today at the UNILAG sports complex.
